Multidimensional analyzing of the microteaching applications in teacher education via videograph

Microteaching is a practice – based teaching method that can be applied at various stages in teacher training programs and it gives the opportunity to engage in self-evaluation and to eliminate or correct inadequacies of both pre-service and in-service teachers. It is believed that this study is important in determining the inadequacies of prospective teachers through microteaching applications, and in determining the steps to be taken to eliminate the inadequacies. Therefore, this study aims to exhibit prospective teachers’ individual, methodological and social performances through two microteaching applications. It is found from this research that prospective teachers’ discipline over the classroom developed, and students’ motivation and their interest in the lesson increased with reinforcement and effective communication in the second microteaching application. This showed that feedback given at the end of the first microteaching application was effective.     

Chinese Malaysian Adolescents' Social‐Cognitive Reasoning Regarding Filial Piety Dilemmas

This study examined the social‐cognitive reasoning of 52 Chinese Malaysian preadolescents (9–12 years old; M = 11.02, SD = 0.94) and 68 adolescents (13–18 years old; M = 14.76, SD = 1.39) in resolving filial dilemmas within the personal and moral domain. Preadolescents deferred to parental authority, whereas adolescents endorsed filial obligation reasoning to justify compliance in the personal domain. Both appealed to filial obligation, pragmatic, or welfare and safety reasoning to justify compliance but fairness or rights reasoning to justify their noncompliance, for the moral issue. Distinctions between authoritarian and reciprocal filial piety reasoning were revealed. Findings demonstrated complex decision‐making and cognitive reasoning processes among Chinese Malaysian adolescents as they negotiate their filial obligations and autonomy development.     

Facilitating Conceptual Change in Students' Understanding of Ecological Concepts

In this study, the effect of conceptual-change-texts-oriented instruction to seventh-grade students' understanding of ecological concepts was investigated. Using information collected through interviews and related literature, the Ecology Concept Test was developed and administered to 58 elementary students in two classes of an elementary school before and after the treatment. The experimental group received conceptual-change-texts-oriented instruction and the control group received traditional instruction. Results of independent t test analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the gain score means of the students in both groups with respect to ecological concepts in favor of experimental group after the treatment.     

Impacts of a university–school partnership on middle school students' fractional knowledge: A quasiexperimental study

In this quasiexperimental study, the authors investigated the effects of university within school partnership model, within which faculty members acted as teacher-researchers to improve fractional knowledge among middle school (Grades 5–8) students. Students in nine Grade 6 mathematics classes from two public middle schools in Turkey were assigned to two conditions: University within school model instruction and traditional instruction. Pre- and posttest data showed that the students exposed to instruction through the university within school partnership model significantly outperformed their traditional instruction peers on the fractions test. Results indicated that students made significant gains in fractional knowledge in the experimental classrooms and in different subgroup populations. It was suggested that a substantial amount of mathematical infusion through partnership could have a positive impact on middle school students' fractional knowledge. The educational implications of the study were also discussed.     

Designing,implementing and maintaining a first year project course in electrical engineering

Being a modern electrical engineer does not only require state of the art skills in areas such as transfer and processing of information, electronics, systems engineering, and biomedical electrical engineering; it also requires generic engineering skills such as oral and written communication, team building, interpersonal skills, and the ability to take the responsibility of solving assigned tasks. In the development of a new electrical engineering curriculum, it was considered a challenge to introduce these generic engineering skills in a more applicable way. The approach described in this paper has been very successful in implementing and maintaining a challenging first year project based engineering course with a high level of training of generic engineering skills.     

Angle-specific knee muscle torques of ACL-reconstructed subjects and determinants of functional tests after reconstruction

The purposes of this study were to analyse (a) if “angle-specific” (AS) flexor and extensor torques were different between ACL-reconstructed and uninvolved limbs, (b) the difference in peak torque occurrence angles for concentric and eccentric knee flexor and extensor torques between involved and uninvolved limbs and (c) if AS concentric and eccentric knee flexor and extensor torques are determinants of performance in the “single-leg hop test” (SLHT) and “vertical jump and reach test” (VJRT) in ACL-reconstructed legs. Twenty-seven male ACL-reconstructed volunteers were included in the study. Isokinetic knee muscle strength, SLHT and VJRT were performed 6 months after ACL reconstruction. No difference was found in extremity and knee joint angle interaction for concentric and eccentric flexor and extensor torques (p > 0.05). Peak torque occurrence angles were not different between involved and uninvolved limbs (p > 0.05). In involved extremities, concentric knee extensor strength at 90° was a determinant of SLHT performance (R² = 0.403, p < 0.05), and concentric knee extensor strength at 60° was a determinant of VJRT (R² = 0.224, p < 0.05). Assessment of AS concentric knee extensor strength at 60° and 90° might be important, because these were determinants of functional test performance.     

The Impact of STEM Attitude and Thinking Style on Computational Thinking Determined via Structural Equation Modeling

Journal of Science Education and Technology - This study aimed to investigate the relationships among computational thinking (CT) skills, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)...